Performance characteristics at Mach numbers to 2.0 of various types of side inlets mounted on fuselage of proposed supersonic airplane III : normal wedge inlet with semicircular cowl

Esenwein, Fred T.naca-rm-e52h201952

The performance characteristics of side inlets which utilize two-dimensional compression wedges mounted normal to the fuselage surface were investigated with ram-type scoops for partial removal of the boundary layer. The research was conducted over a range of angles of attack at Mach numbers of 0, 0.63, and 1.50 to 2.00. Inlet pressure recoveries measured at the design angle of attack were substantially higher at the supersonic speeds than the recoveries obtained with comparable ramp and spike-type inlets. Sensitivity to cross-flow effects due to the particular circumferential location of the inlets, however, resulted in severe decreases in pressure recovery at angles of attack. At a Mach number of 0.63 pressure recoveries of the order of 0.96 were obtained for mass-flow ratios of approximately unity, whereas at take-off, very large losses in inlet performance were noted over the range of inlet mass flows.